Cauliflower Soup - Blue Monday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We all lose our heads from time to time, but not with the same finality as Madame du Barry lost hers. While not a royal, the comtesse, once mistress to King Louis the XVth , was guillotined following the false testimony of her chef who detested her imperious behavior. Many dishes in classic French cuisine, especially those containing cauliflower, are appended with her name. Not because she lost her head, but because her coif resembled a head of cauliflower in color and appearance.This is a simplified version of Creme du Barry. Almost all the butter and cream have been removed from the recipe and caraway seeds are, instead, added to provide flavor. The soup is simple to make and uses only a handful of readily available ingredients. It is really quite lovely. I know those of you who try it will enjoy it. It's an easy way to use the cauliflower that is flooding markets at this time of year and it would be a perfect first course for a holiday meal. Here's the recipe.

Cauliflower Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
1 medium all-purpose potato, cubed
6 cups chicken Stock
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Garnish: Chopped chives or parsley

Directions:
1) Warm oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add onions and caraway seed and cook, stirring, until onions are soft but not brown, about 10 minutes.
2) Stir in cauliflower, potatoes, and stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are very tender. Remove form the heat and allow to cool slightly.
3) Transfer to a blender or a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until smooth. Transfer to a clean saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer.Add lemon juice and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Thin soup with stock or milk if too thick. Pour through a fine mesh strainer. Pour into warm bowls. Garnish with chives or parsley. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
White Bean Cauliflower and Bacon Soup - Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice
Cauliflower and Potato Salad - Guilty Kitchen
French Cauliflower Salad - Pham Fatale
Cauliflower Curry - The Spamwise Chronicles
Curried Cream of Cauliflower and Apple Soup - One Perfect Bite
Gobi Manchurian - One Perfect Bite
Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry - Closet Cooking
Roasted Cauliflower with Tomatoes and Black Olives - The Recipe Girl

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday